the vow movie review rotten tomatoes

I Married an Amnesiac

“The Vow” is a well-behaved, tenderhearted love story about impossibly nice people. It’s not even about whether they’ll get married. They’ve been happily married for four years. The problem is, she can’t remember them. She can’t even remember her husband.

Paige and Leo are a young Chicago couple. She’s a Lake Forest blue blood who angered her parents by dropping out of Northwestern law school, moving into the city and enrolling at the School of the Art Institute, where she sculpts clay into such forms that Leo mistakes a pile of fresh clay for one of her artworks. Leo has opened an independent recording studio, arguing that although everyone may be able to produce songs on their laptops, he can aim higher — at the heights of an old Sun Records session, for example.

They live happily. They are in love. She is estranged from her parents. They look great together, and as played by Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum why shouldn’t they? The actors bring a dreamy warmth to their roles. Then one snowy night, the two are rear-ended by a truck. He wakes up in the hospital. She remains in a drug-induced coma to assist her brain in reducing its swelling. When she recovers, she has no memory of ever meeting or being married to Leo.

Indeed, she thinks she is the same person she was before her life changed. She thinks she still lives with her folks ( Sam Neill and Jessica Lange ) and is still engaged to Jeremy ( Scott Speedman ). Her parents, who approved of Jeremy but not of Leo, couldn’t be happier, and expect to bring her home with them. Leo persuades her to come home with him and see if any memories return, but it’s as if she’s living with a stranger.

This film is based on the real-life story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter; she never did regain her lost memories, but they’re together today, with two children. Paige and Leo don’t seem headed in that direction. Leo, it must be said, is a paragon of patience, taking Paige to their favorite date spots, reminding her she’s a vegetarian, showing her the studio she has forgotten. But all of this is alien to the old Paige; she she’s still attracted to Jeremy.

Scott Speedman is a good choice for the old fiance. From some camera angles, he reminds us a little of Wile E. Coyote. From head on, he’s friendly and handsome. He isn’t necessarily a bad guy. Nor are her parents evil, although there is something snaky about the Sam Neill character. They connive to take advantage of her memory loss, which has so conveniently eradicated all of the changes they disapprove of.

This same story could be a fraught melodrama with pumped-up characters and dire consequences. “The Vow” is more of a sweet date movie for Valentine’s Day; the women can identify with this poor Paige who belongs with the handsome Leo, and the guys can think that Rachel McAdams has just about the sweetest smile since Marisa Tomei . The more we discover about the story, indeed, the nicer a guy Leo turns out to be. The way the story resolves itself offers poetic justice.

But it’s all too painless. One can imagine the anguish of the case in real life. How, really, do you approach the subject of having sex with your husband if you don’t remember him? Especially when he is theoretically not the kind of man you would choose, and you believe you’re engaged to a man you love? “The Vow” never really grapples with those issues. It’s pleasant enough as a date movie, but that’s all.

A footnote. The movie is said to be set in Chicago. It struck me as strange that it has such a large number of second-unit shots of the city: skylines, elevated trains, the Music Box movie theater. Yet the couple itself is rarely seen in them. There is one nice shot of the newlyweds running from the Art Institute across a footbridge into Millennium Park and ending up under the Bean, but otherwise something fishy is going on. Yes, the movie was shot mostly in Toronto. Poor Toronto. Poor Chicago. Poor Paige and Leo. Poor Jeremy, even.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Rachel McAdams as Paige
• Channing Tatum as Leo
• Jessica Lange as Mrs. Thornton
• Sam Neill as Mr. Thornton
• Scott Speedman as Jeremy
• Jason Katims
• Marc Silverstein

Directed by

• Michael Sucsy

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Netflix is losing one of its best binge-watching TV shows — and it’s 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

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While I always enjoy checking out the latest TV shows on Netflix, like many subscribers I find myself returning to a selection of what I like to call “comfort shows”. My personal favorite easy-watching series include “The Good Place”, “Derry Girls” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, but another pick that is always popular is “Jane the Virgin”, which is sadly set to leave the streamer in September.

Yup, this fan-favorite and critically acclaimed comedy-drama is being removed from the world’s biggest streaming service in just a few days. That leaves you precious little time to watch the show’s 100 total episodes across five seasons, but if you’re willing to give it the old college try, here’s why “Jane the Virgin’ is a must-binge delight and will be sorely missed once it takes its final bow on Netflix next week…

What is ‘Jane the Virgin’ about

Some TV shows attempt to bury the lede with a cryptic name that seems almost entirely unrelated to the actual events on screen, but that’s very much not the case with “Jane the Virgin”. This is a comedy-drama about a woman named Jane (Gina Rodriguez), who is determined to remain a virgin until marriage after making a vow to her grandmother as a child.

The series opens with the 23-year-old seemingly having life all figured out. She’s studying to be a teacher and is dating a handsome police detective (Brett Dier) who supports her decision to remain a virgin. Of course, a show about somebody living the perfect life wouldn’t be interesting, so things don’t stay so peaceful for long.

Following what was supposed to be a routine clinic visit, Jane becomes pregnant after a mix-up results in her being accidentally artificially inseminated by her gynaecologist. If that wasn't bad enough, the sperm donor happens to be her boss, Rafael (Justin Baldoni). Facing this unexpected hurdle will be tough and there's even more drama to come, Jane’s life is about to get seriously complicated very quickly.

‘Jane the Virgin’ is a persistently pleasant watch

While “Jane the Virgin” is not a sofa-gripping thrill ride or stuffed with shocking cliffhangers, it’s the perfect show to enjoy when you want to relax and not work your brain too much. It's the ideal pick for streaming when you’re doing other things like laundry or cleaning, and I genuinely mean that as a compliment not a negative.

The real ace up Jane’s sleeve is the eponymous heroine. Jane is a character that you'll quickly come to love, and you’ll root for her success not just with her newfound pregnancy but also in her romantic endeavors (no prizes for guessing there’s a love triangle thrown into the mix). Jane is so darn likable largely because of the wonderful performance from Gina Rodriguez who manages to anchor the show and also tackles the dramatic element well.

One of the most impressive things about “Jane the Virgin” is its consistent quality. The show’s first season pulled a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes when it premiered in 2019, and you might expect a drop-off in subsequent chapters, but that’s not the case. All five seasons of “Jane of the Virgin” have managed a 100% rating on the review aggregate site.

It’s not just critics who became quite taken with Jane either. The comedy-drama also enjoyed very strong audience scores across its run. The five-season average is an excellent 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, with season 2 pulling the largest score of 92%.

Stream ‘Jane the Virgin’ on Netflix while you can

If you don’t fancy Netflix’s latest offerings and instead want an easy-watching show that you can binge-watch across the long Labor Day weekend, then “Jane the Virgin” is a great choice. Unfortunately, you only have until Thursday, September 5 to watch on Netflix, so make the most of your time left with "Jane the Virgin" right now.

Veterans may want to spend the next few days rewatching their favorite episodes and reliving some of the show’s most iconic moments. Sadly, for newcomers, watching all 100 episodes by next Thursday seems a pretty tall order, but you can always follow the show to its new streaming home, which will likely be confirmed in due course (shows like this tend to hop between streaming services after all).

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for shows and movies that have just been added to Netflix, we have a full guide to everything new on Netflix in September 2024 .

Stream "Jane the Virgin" seasons 1-5 on Netflix until September 5

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The True Story of The Vow, Explained

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• The Vow is a loose adaptation of a real-life story, with the film taking creative liberties with the characters and settings.
• The real-life couple did not contemplate divorce, unlike the characters in the film who decided to get divorced.
• Despite negative critical reviews, The Vow was a box-office hit and sparked renewed interest in the couple's book, which became a bestseller.

The 2012 romantic drama film The Vow stars Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams as newlyweds Leo and Paige, whose relationship is threatened by the repercussions of a horrific car accident, which leaves Paige with no memory of her relationship history with Leo, who appears to her as a complete stranger. The film follows their journey to rediscover their love for each other. The Vow is based on the real-life story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, whose marriage, like that of their screen counterparts, was forever altered by a car crash, in which Krickitt suffered severe brain damage and was left with absolutely no memories of her husband. Like Leo, Kim tried everything to make his wife remember him, without success.

Kim and Krickitt recounted their ordeal in a 2000 book, No Greater Love , which was completely disregarded by the film’s creative team, specifically screenwriters Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, who never met the couple. The screenwriters completely reinvented the characters for the purpose of achieving maximum dramatic effect and proving that fiction is more interesting than reality. However, despite the creative liberties that were taken with The Vow , the film was a box-office success upon its theatrical release and has recently experienced a massive resurgence in popularity through streaming.

The Vow Is a Loose Adaptation of the Real-Life Story

Virtually every aspect of the real-life story on which The Vow is supposedly based was reinvented for the film, including the film’s setting, Chicago , where Leo works as a music producer, while Paige is a sculptor. The real-life story took place in New Mexico, where Kim Carpenter was a longtime baseball coach. Kim’s relationship with Krickitt began with a series of phone conservations in 1992 when Krickitt was working as a sales representative for a sportswear company in California, where Kim eventually proposed to Krickitt in 1993. Leo and Paige’s first encounter took place outside a DMV office.

Kim met Krickitt’s family before they got married, while Leo never met Paige’s parents until after the car accident. Paige, unlike Krickitt, was estranged from her parents prior to the accident, due to their disapproval of Paige’s decision to quit law school to become an artist and Paige’s anger over her father’s extramarital affair with a friend of Paige’s. The massive head injury that Krickitt suffered was disfiguring and left her in a coma for several weeks. In the film, the most telling physical remnant of the car crash is a scar on Paige’s forehead. The director of The Vow , Michael Sucsy, thought that the sight of Rachel McAdams with a shaved head would be too uncomfortable for audiences.

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The Real-Life Fairy-Tale Romance Ended in Divorce

One of the biggest differences between The Vow and the real-life story is related to how the characters approach the subject of divorce . In the film, Leo and Paige, after being unable to navigate the obstacles that arose from Paige’s amnesia, decide to get divorced. Leo agrees to the divorce both because of Paige's inability to remember their relationship and her seemingly renewed feelings for her former fiancé, Jeremy, who clearly wants to rekindle their relationship and eventually marry Paige.

Unlike Leo and Paige, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter didn’t seriously contemplate divorce in the aftermath of the car accident and were instead committed to making their marriage work and remaining loyal to their marriage vows. After renewing their wedding vows in 1996, Kim and Krickitt remained married through the film’s 2012 theatrical release, for which Kim and Krickitt were included in the film’s marketing campaign.

However, in 2018, Kim and Krickitt, who had two children, announced that they were getting divorced after approximately 25 years of marriage. The divorce was triggered after Kim admitted to having an extramarital affair.

Channing Tatum's 10 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

Channing Tatum has been a constant presence on the silver screen for nearly two decades, having first rose to prominence in the dance film Step Up.

The Vow Was a Box-Office Hit

While The Vow received generally negative critical reviews upon the film’s theatrical release, it nonetheless became a box-office hit. After debuting in the top spot at the domestic box office in its opening weekend of release with a gross of approximately $41.2 million, The Vow finished its theatrical run with a domestic total of $125 million and a worldwide total of nearly $200 million. At the time of its theatrical release, The Vow was one of the highest-grossing romantic films of all time. Moreover, the success of The Vow marked a turning point in the career of Channing Tatum, for whom The Vow established Tatum as a box-office draw.

For Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, the film’s popularity sparked interest in their 2000 book, No Greater Love , which was repackaged as The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie in tandem with the film’s theatrical release and became a New York Times bestseller. While the book is now long out of print, the film has maintained a loyal audience following over the past decade and has found renewed popularity through Netflix, where The Vow recently became the streaming service’s most-watched film.

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(Photo by Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection. THE CROW.)

The Crow Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

It’s entirely possible, approaching even quite-likely status, that you’ve seen The Crow , that 1994 goth superhero classic starring Brandon Lee, and none of the three sequels that followed up until 2005. With the original on its parade of anniversary celebrations and the 2024 remake now here, you may be looking into the rest of the series, seeing that the critics and audience receptions for anything post-original isn’t exactly sterling, and wondering if you should even bother. The answer: Probably not, unless you’re looking to become a true Crow -natic.

There’s no overarching plot, and there is only one shared character between the first two movies, with none of the original actors back. Instead, the franchise is driven by a baseline premise of a guy deep in a passionate, committed relationship who’s murdered and then subsequently resurrected as the avenging angel known as The Crow, back to inflict maximum righteous bird law before returning to the grave.

Lee is a star and revelation in the original ’94 Crow , and was tragically killed during an on-set accident involving a prop gun. Director Alex Proyas and his team make the most out of stark lightning, practical scale models and architecture, and those rooftops you’ll see later in Dark City and The Matrix to create a stylish fever dream film. The sequels feature performers in various going-ups and coming-downs of their careers, including Kirsten Dunst, Tara Reid, and Edward Furlong. Naturally, Danny Trejo is in one of them.

And nearly 20 years after the last sequel, and 30 to the original, a re-imagining. Bill Skarsgard and FKA twigs take on Eric Draven + Shelly Webster mantle, with more emphasis on backstory and dialogue, but at great cost according to the critics. Either way, we’re ranking all the Crow movies by Tomatometer.

The Crow (1994) 86%

The Crow (2024) 23%

The Crow: Salvation (2000) 18%

The Crow: City of Angels (1996) 14%

The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005) 0%

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The vow ending explained.

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Rachel McAdams' 10 Best Movies, Ranked

A 62-minute horror movie with $800 budget is going viral & it might be one of the best of 2024, "does what no other trilogy has ever been able to do": quentin tarantino reveals his pick for the best movie trilogy.

• Leo's decision to divorce Paige was motivated by his love for her and his desire for her happiness.
• Paige forgave her father for his affair because family was incredibly important to her and she didn't want to leave them.
• Paige decided to start dating Leo again because she rediscovered her love for him through their vows and had rediscovered herself after her accident.

Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) had both moved on after she lost her memory in a car accident, but by the ending of The Vow , they decided to start dating all over again. The Vow is inspired by a true story and a real couple, though the romantic drama took some creative liberties with its plot and made changes to real life. Those changes helped make a more compelling story with a stronger ending, which made The Vow a contender for the list of the best romance movies on Netflix and one of Channing Tatum's best romance movies .

The Vow saw Leo trying to help Paige regain her memory and fall in love with him again, though there were more than a few problems keeping him from doing so. Paige hadn't spoken to her father, Bill (Sam Neill) or mother, Rita (Jessica Lange) in years by the time of her accident. They, along with Paige's ex-fiance Jeremy (Scott Speedman), wanted Paige to come back to them, and actively worked against Leo . Paige may not have regained her memory, but Leo earned another shot at loving her by the end of The Vow .

Rachel McAdams has starred in some of the most culturally significant movies of the 21st century, appearing in various genres throughout her career.

Leo’s Decision To Divorce Paige Explained

He let paige love him on her own terms.

Leo loved Paige deeply throughout the entire movie, even though Paige had forgotten their relationship. He tried everything he could think of to help her regain her memory, like showing her parts of her old life he thought would help her remember and taking her on their first date again to help her fall in love again. None of it worked, though, and both Leo and Paige were getting frustrated, with Paige expressing that she was tired of disappointing him . Leo was also having financial problems due to Paige's memory loss, which took a toll on him.

Leo divorced Paige because he was truly in love with her, and he wanted her to be happy, and because he knew his efforts wouldn't make her fall in love with him again.

Leo saw the emotional toll he was taking on Paige, and decided to leave. After the accident, Leo saw how happy they made her and how much they meant to her, and he didn't want to take that away from her. Leo divorced Paige because he was truly in love with her, and he wanted her to be happy , and because he knew his efforts wouldn't make her fall in love with him again. He could have gotten Paige to leave her family and stay with him, but he wanted their love to be as real as it once was.

Why Paige Forgave Her Father For His Affair

Family was incredibly important to paige after the accident.

Rita explained that she was able to forgive Bill because the family they built together meant everything to her.

It was revealed towards the end of The Vow that the reason Paige had cut off her family was because her father, Bill, had cheated on her mother, Rita, with one of Paige's friends. Paige questioned Rita about how she could stay with her husband after that, and Rita explained that she was able to forgive Bill because the family they built together meant everything to her, and she wouldn't leave them all. Paige had grown to love her family as much as her mother did, and Paige followed Rita's example and forgave Bill so she wouldn't have to leave her family again .

The Vow is available to stream on Netflix.

Why Paige Decided To Start Dating Leo Again

She decided to take another chance on love.

Paige read the vows she had written after finding the menu in an old box, and it helped her realize just how special the love she shared with Leo was.

Paige's decision to date Leo again had a lot to do with the movie's namesake: their vows. Paige read the vows she had written after finding the menu in an old box, and it helped her realize just how special the love she shared with Leo was. They promised to love each other no matter what in their vows , and they gave Paige the motivation to try again. As her vows said, she had promised to always live in Leo's heart, and she decided to make good on that promise.

When Paige approached Leo at the end of the movie, she mentioned that she had been living in the city for six months. Another reason she was ready to date him was because she had finally found out who she was after the accident, and Paige grew into a person who was ready to give Leo another chance after her accident . The Vow showed that she had dropped out of law school and started making art again, which indicated that while she had changed, she was more like the person she was at the beginning of the movie again.

What The Vow’s Ending Really Means

The vow proves that love is a conscious decision.

The Vow is an incredibly unique love story, and the themes it touches on are similarly unique. It touches on lessons of love enduring any tragedy and how two people can choose each other no matter what. One of The Vow 's major themes is that to truly love someone is to love every version of them , not just the person they might become or once were. Leo eventually gave Paige space to be whoever she wanted to be, and he loved her through everything. Once they had enough time apart, they were able to choose to be with each other all over again.

Paige needed to find herself and redefine her new life after her memory loss before she could love again.

While The Vow does have lessons on how to love someone else, it also has valuable wisdom in the realm of self-love. Paige needed to find herself and redefine her new life after her memory loss before she could love again. The Vow 's other central theme is that to love and be loved, a person has to love themselves first , and no one can accomplish that without knowing who they are while alone. Leo tried to make Paige love him, but the only thing that could rekindle their relationship was Paige finding a reason to love him for herself.

They showed that love can persevere even through great tragedy, and that there can be a second chance as long as two people love each other.

Leo and Paige had a rocky road to loving each other again, but that only made their second first date even sweeter. Very few people get to redo such a crucial part of their life as falling in love, but they made the most of their chance. They showed that love can persevere even through great tragedy, and that there can be a second chance as long as two people love each other. While The Vow may have made changes to its real-life inspiration, it still holds powerful messages that anybody can learn from.

Film Review: The Vow

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 5th March 2012  - Last updated: 10th January 2024

Categories Film

For those of you that have sat in romantic movies and said to yourself: ‘but that wouldn’t happen in real life!’, may I present to you,  The Vow , a true story.

The plotline is really simple and yet incredibly moving. Paige and her husband Leo are involved in a serious car accent leaving Paige with severe memory loss. Paige’s last memories are when she was engaged to another man, her relationship with her family was great and she was attending law school.

Leo is but a stranger to her. Leo is determined to win back Paige’s heart and salvage their marriage, but it won’t be easy starting anew. Is true love a once in a lifetime opportunity or will Leo be able to make Paige fall back in love with him all over again?

Rachel McAdams has been crowned the ‘Rom-Com Queen’ so she was really in her element in this movie. It was interesting to see her in a slightly more serious romantic setting, going back to what brought her to stardom in the world of romantic dramas, The Notebook.

McAdams’ performance in The Vow is incredibly real and moving, drawing the viewer in, making you sympathise with Paige’s circumstances even more. You may possibly find yourself quite frustrated with her character at times, but this is just the film drawing you in, willing her to remember the past and her love for Leo.

I have quite mixed views about Channing Tatum. I’m still on the rocks about whether or not I think he’s suited to playing serious roles as I commonly associate him with his role in She’s The Man . I think that perhaps he could’ve done a better job in The Vow , though Channing Tatum has always been good at acting awkward, and there’s plenty of awkward in this film.

Channing Tatum’s character, Leo, is the character that really turns the waterworks on as ultimately it’s him who has lost the love of his life and feels it the most. Whilst, of course, you feel sympathy towards Paige who is completely disorientated and forced to adapt to her new life, Leo is the one stuck with memories of the past that he cannot possibly erase.

I watched The Vow the day before Valentine’s day so obviously, I was feeling slightly more vulnerable than usual which is probably why this movie had such a profound effect on me. Though, I’m pretty sure even if I’d been watching this when I was feeling extremely un-romantic with a steely heart it still would’ve made me crumble inside.

The fact that this film is in fact based on a true story stays in the back of your mind throughout the movie and you can’t help but imagine the pain that this pair must’ve gone through in order to salvage their marriage.

Everything is heightened when you think that this is the story of someone’s life. You won’t be sat there thinking, ‘this would never happen’, because it already has , and that sense of realism is what makes this movie really top-notch.

It’s not all doom and gloom though! There are some very funny moments in The Vow too as well as moments that make you want to cry happy tears. There is a good balance between sad and moving and the comical – though it isn’t funny ha-ha – which is good because otherwise, I would’ve no doubt transcended into a serious phase of depression.

Whilst Rotten Tomatoes only gave  The Vow a rating of 28%, we all know film critics are born with hearts of lead so I’m not surprised. If you look at the ratings from ordinary viewers this film has been voted as 3.5/5 stars or higher which is much more positive and I think is a better representation of the reaction to this film.

I would definitely recommend this film to anyone and everyone who needs a reminder that true love isn’t easy. Prepare yourself for some heartbreaking scenes and bring a box of tissues and a shoulder to cry on.

If you liked this post, check out these: Film Review: Me Before You Film Review: Midnight Sun

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

mattconnect

Wednesday 7th of March 2012

Can't wait to see this :3

Tuesday 6th of March 2012

Eeek this looks like the cutest movie ever! Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum <3

True, have to see this one! Nice that it's a true story too :)

Netflix’s new family movie just claimed the No. 2 spot — and it’s 87% on Rotten Tomatoes

Dreamworks’ ‘Orion and the Dark’ is making waves on Netflix

If you’re looking for a new Netflix movie that the whole family can enjoy, then the streamer has the perfect pick in the form of “Orion and the Dark," a new fantasy flick from legendary animation house Dreamworks. 

“Orion and the Dark” landed on Netflix last week (Friday, February 2) and has made quite the first impression. The well-received movie currently ranks in the No. 2 spot ahead of recent blockbuster additions to the Netflix catalog including “Fury” and “Pacific Rim”. 

This new Dreamworks animated movie is currently second only to “The Vow," but with Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it’s little surprise that a Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum-fronted romantic drama has claimed the top spot. 

Of course, a high ranking on the Netflix most-watched list is no guarantee of quality, so if you’re wondering whether “Orion and the Dark” is worth adding to your watchlist, we’re here to help by answering the most important question: Should you stream it or skip it?

What is ‘Orion and the Dark’ about?  

Orion is an elementary school kid who is afraid of pretty much everything. Dogs, bees, the ocean, heights and much more, but of all the things that Orion is scared of, it’s the dark that terrifies him most. So, when the living embodiment of his worst fear appears before him during a blackout, Orion is literally shaking with terror. 

However, this mysterious apparition, known appropriately as Dark, hasn’t come to scare the young boy but instead plans to show Orion that the dark is not something to fear and that it has many benefits. What follows is a surreal adventure, as Orion and the Dark team up and embark on an unforgettable journey across a dream-like reality. 

Hailing from the mind of acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the writer responsible for cult classics such as “Being John Malkovich” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," “Orion and the Dark” is a charming fantasy movie with heart and plenty of interesting ideas. 

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‘Orion and the Dark’ reviews — here’s what critics say 

“Orion and the Dark” has enjoyed a strong reception from critics as evidenced by the movie's impressive 87% rating on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes . However, its audience score isn’t quite as sparkling at a fairly average 67%. 

Gregory Wakeman of the Chicago Reader was especially enamored with “Orion and the Dark." He labeled the Netflix movie “Endlessly creative, full of alluring colors, and with a pace that grabs hold of viewers and doesn't let go.” The critic also praised the movie for its “dynamic characters that you never could have imagined” in a very positive write-up. 

Rolling Stone ’s David Fear called it “a cut above your average rainy-afternoon distraction” and compared it favorably to Pixar’s Inside Out. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com was also impressed. He called the movie an “early-year Netflix original surprise” thanks to its “sharp character design, entertaining dialogue, and positive messaging.”  

A more mixed write-up came from Kevin Maher of The Times of London . He called “Orion and the Dark” disposable and “a rare misstep for Netflix Animation." He also argued it doesn’t stack up against Netflix’s other well-regarded animated options including “Leo”, “My Father’s Dragon” and “The Sea Beast."

Should you stream Orion and the Dark on Netflix? 

Finding something that appeals to, and is appropriate for, the whole family on Netflix can sometimes be a little tricky. That’s what makes a movie like “Orion and the Dark” so valuable. It’s got vibrant animation, and a grand sense of adventure, that will appeal to young viewers, but for adults, there’s greater subtext and interesting themes to be unearthed.

“Orion and the Dark” is a new Netflix movie well worth adding to your watchlist, and is yet more proof that the streamer knows its stuff when it comes to creating awesome animated content. 

If you’re looking for even more viewing recommendations check out our roundup of the best new to Netflix movies this month and the Netflix shows to watch this week .  

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Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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The 13 Best "R-Rated" Shows on Netflix (August 2024)

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Netflix, being one of the top streamers who paved the way for the modern media landscape, seems to make its own rules, with everyone else following suit. They’re not beholden to broadcast standards that would limit the boobs, butts, and blood on screen.

Like Netflix, you don’t have to confine yourself to family-friendly content either. You can enjoy some mature shows with grown-up themes, a bit of violence , and maybe even some titillating scenes . Here are the best R-rated shows on Netflix (aka TV-MA, but that certainly doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?).

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best R-rated movies on the platform, as well as the best movies and shows on Netflix across all ratings.

Editor's note: This article was updated August 2024 to include The Umbrella Academy .

‘The Umbrella Academy’ (2019 - 2024)

Rotten tomatoes: 78% | imdb: 7.8/10.

The Umbrella Academy

Based on the eponymous Dark Horse Comics series written by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Bá , The Umbrella Academy is a superhero comedy-drama show created by Steve Blackman and developed by Jeremy Slater . The series follows seven super-powered children born under mysterious circumstances who are adopted by a reclusive billionaire and trained to be superheroes. Years later, this dysfunctional family reunites to solve the mystery of their father’s death and stop the apocalypse. The show stars Elliot Page , Tom Hopper , David Castañeda , Emmy Raver-Lampman , Robert Sheehan , Aidan Gallagher , Justin H. Min , and more. Since its premiere in 2019, The Umbrella Academy has proven to be a popular series with both audiences and critics. The show consists of four seasons, and though the final season was a bit polarizing, the series has generally received positive reviews throughout its run. The series has also earned six Emmy nominations, as well as several other accolades. A humorous yet emotionally layered story that’s driven by its troubled and fascinating characters, The Umbrella Academy is a series that pushes the superhero genre in strange and amazing new directions.

Watch on Netflix

'Squid Game' (2021 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 95% | imdb: 8.0/10.

This South Korean psychological thriller is a compelling dramatization and critique of the capitalist structures that exploit the vulnerable and disenfranchised for the advancement of the wealthy. Squid Game , created by Hwang Dong-hyuk ( Silenced ), places over 400 contestants in a survival game where failure means death. The series follows an ensemble cast, but Lee Jung-jae ( The Acolyte ) really takes the lead and deserves every award nomination and win he received for his performance. In addition to the rich themes of the plot, the show has a unique and colorful aesthetic that juxtaposes a childlike atmosphere with a dark, blood-soaked competition that offers criminals, poor, and indebted citizens the chance to change their lives by injecting it with money — or a bullet to the head.

‘Bridgerton’ (2020 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 84% | imdb: 7.4/10.

Bridgerton ain’t your grandma’s regency-era drama. Based on the novels by Julia Quinn , the hit Netflix series takes the vibes and iconography of Jane Austin novels and infuses them with diversity and a modern flare. Following the noble Bridgerton family in London, each season focuses on the courtship and drama surrounding a different sibling as they try to climb the social ladder and maintain their status among the British upper crust. The series features a revolving cast of top-notch actors that would fill this article if I tried to name them all, but the main cast is anchored by Nicola Coughlan ( Derry Girls ), Adjoa Andoh ( Invictus ), Luke Thompson ( Dunkirk ), Golda Rosheuvel ( Lady Macbeth ), and Julie Andrews ( Mary Poppins ).

‘Derry Girls’ (2018 - 2022)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.5/10.

Derry Girls

Created by Lisa McGee ( Being Human ) based on her own adolescence in Derry, Northern Ireland, Derry Girls is a coming-of-age teen comedy set in the '90s during the Troubles. The series follows a tight-knit group of friends attending a Catholic school and the shenanigans they get into trying to stand out and figure out what they believe in. Being set against the backdrop of the political unrest that plagued Ireland through the late '90s allows the show to splash around in the tension of the era while commenting on the ground-level perspectives by letting the main characters be affected by major events happening in their periphery while they’re hyperfocused on the absurd situations they stumble into just trying to get through secondary school.

‘Vikings: Valhalla’ (2022 - 2024)

Rotten tomatoes: 96% | imdb: 7.3/10.

Vikings: Valhalla

Screenwriter Jeb Stuart ( Die Hard ) hoists his flag and makes the Vikings world his own, creating a story that takes place 100 years after the original series. Vikings: Valhalla is a historical drama about the battle for England between the Danes and the native Englishmen that continues the tradition of amazing costumes and sets while elevating the scale of the battles and performances — specifically the three leads, Sam Corlett ( Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ) as Leif Erikson, Frida Gustavsson ( Dröm ) as Freydís Eiríksdóttir, and Leo Suter ( Sanditon ) as Harald Sigurdsson, who each expertly command the screen and drive the adventure forward in their own ways.

‘Orange is the New Black’ (2013 - 2019)

Rotten tomatoes: 90% | imdb: 8.0/10.

Orange is The New Black

Based on the Piper Kerman memoir of the same name, Orange is the New Black is a dark comedy about a woman in her 30s living her ideal life who suddenly gets sent to prison for smuggling drugs a decade prior. The series initially revolves around the fish-out-of-water story of the prim and proper Piper, played excellently by Taylor Schilling ( Pantheon ), but it quickly broadens out to embrace the ensemble of amazing women that surround her, digging into each of their stories and the circumstances that landed them in this wild correctional facility. As I mentioned, Schilling is perfect for the role, and her performance is only magnified by the phenomenal actresses around her, including Laura Prepon ( That '70s Show ), Uzo Aduba ( Lightyear ), and Natasha Lyonne ( Poker Face ).

‘The Gentlemen’ (2024 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 74% | imdb: 8.1/10.

The Gentlemen

Writer and auteur director Guy Ritchie ( Snatch ) brings his signature style to the small screen as he expands the world of his original British gangster film. Like the original film, The Gentlemen , starring Theo James ( The White Lotus ), delves into the criminal underworld of England as a young army officer finds himself inheriting the growing space of a massive weed empire that threatens to bury him if he makes the wrong moves. Ritche introduces all new characters to the world, including an American billionaire played by the ever-charming Giancarlo Esposito ( Breaking Bad ) and Ray Winstone ( The Departed ) as the leader of the drug empire. And you know, he always brings in his favs like Vinnie Jones ( Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ) along for the ride, too.

‘Shameless’ (2011 - 2021)

Rotten tomatoes: 82% | imdb: 8.5/10.

After a decade on the air, you can finally watch the Emmy-winning scripted series from start to finish. Shameless is an adaptation of a British dramatic comedy of the same name that quickly comes into its own as it focuses on the Gallagher family with a striking balance of outlandish sensibilities and heart-wrenching character drama that makes it stand out from the crowd of hundreds of television family dramas. William H. Macy ( Fargo ) takes on the role of the patriarch of the family trying to raise his six kids alone while stumbling through his alcoholic stupor — and the show doesn’t shy away from the trauma that comes with growing up in a dysfunctional household. Considering the stunning performances that drive the series, it’s no wonder it produced a full crop of rising stars like Jeremy Allen White ( The Bear ) and Cameron Monaghan ( Star Wars Jedi: Survivor ).

‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)

Rotten tomatoes: 98% | imdb: 7.8/10.

Baby Reindeer

Baby Reindeer is a dark comedy by comedian and writer Richard Gadd ( Against the Law ), who relives the true story of his own stalking incident. The series follows the snowball of a meet-cute with a woman at Gadd’s bar that quickly goes downhill and grows into an avalanche of threats and obsession. It’s a brave venture into one of the most chaotic and traumatic times of Gadd’s life, and it takes a lot of guts to process one's feelings in such a public forum while shining a light on the ways that men’s stalking cases aren’t taken as seriously as they should be. However, the story would only be half as compelling if not for Jessica Gunning ( The Outlaws ), who captures the unpredictable and dangerous vibes of a person who is willing to do anything to get what they want.

‘Suits’ (2011 - 2019)

Rotten tomatoes: 91% | imdb: 8.4/10.

Suits is a clever legal drama starring Patrick J. Adams ( A League of Their Own ) as a law school dropout with a photographic memory who cons his way into a job at New York’s leading corporate law firm by impressing their top attorney, played by Gabriel Macht ( The Spirit ), who takes him under his wing while hiding his secret. Since hitting Netflix, Suits has had a major resurgence with audiences who may have cut the cord during its run on cable television — all nine seasons are now readily available for your binging pleasure without having to jump to other apps. Truly the golden age of streaming! With the revival show Suits: LA on the horizon, this is the perfect time to catch up.

‘Beef’ (2023 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 98% | imdb: 9.0/10.

Creator Lee Sung Jin ( It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ) presents a dark comedic drama that’s as raw as it is hilarious. Beef stars Steven Yeun ( Nope ) and Ali Wong ( Always Be My Maybe ) as an odd pair who vow to ruin each other’s lives after a fraught road rage encounter. Yeun and Wong are perfect foils for one another, as they manage to make even the most bonkers situations feel grounded and purposeful, infusing their dreadfully unhappy characters with charm and relatable faults. The series captures an aspect of the human condition that is rarely explored. Often, protagonists make decisions to grow out of their central flaws, but real people are a bit messier than that and tend to redirect their own insecurities and anxieties outward, finding it easier to lash out rather than do the work of healing. That messiness is what makes this Emmy-winning series amazing.

‘One Day’ (2024)

Rotten tomatoes: 91% | imdb: 8.1/10.

Based on the novel of the same name by David Nicholls , One Day is a romantic will-they-won’t-they that spans two decades. Ambika Mod ( This Is Going to Hurt ) and Leo Woodall ( The White Lotus ) take our hands and lead us through this series of longing and love as they take on the roles of two students who meet on the night of their graduation thinking they’ll never see one another again. Fate, however, seems to keep bringing them back together. I have seen the series compared to When Harry Met Sally , and while I get it, I will say that Mod and Woodall have more chemistry than Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal could ever dream of. Don’t jump me just ‘cause I’m right.

‘Sex Education’ (2019 - 2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 94% | imdb: 8.2/10.

Sex Education

Set in a fictional British town, Sex Education is a teen comedy that explores the sexual anxieties that pop up as adolescents come of age. Asa Butterfield ( Hugo ) leads an ensemble cast as he takes on the role of Otis Milburn, a secondary school (that’s high school for us Yanks) student who siphons texts and therapeutic knowledge from his sex therapist mother to help his classmates work through their intimacy issues. In addition to being funny and heartwarming, the series is basically providing a service to young teens who don’t have an outlet for talking about their feelings of sexual inadequacy by giving them representation on-screen through which they can find catharsis. And now that the series has wrapped, you can binge every raunchy moment from start to finish.

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10 biggest action movie bombs of all time, ranked

Action movies tend to be some of the biggest performers at the box office, which is why Hollywood makes so many of them. Barbie and Oppenheimer were outliers last summer, but all of the other top summer hits of 2023 were action-oriented. Yet, to get the biggest bang, studios have given action films huge budgets, which only creates bigger box office bombs when they can’t come close to earning that money back.

10. Hudson Hawk (1991)

9. hard rain (1998), 8. chill factor (1999), 7. ballistic: ecks vs. sever (2002), 6. around the world in 80 days (2004), 5. blackhat (2015), 4. the 355 (2022), 3. 47 ronin (2013), 2. cutthroat island (1995), 1. the 13th warrior (1999).

When assembling this list of the 10 biggest action movie bombs of all time, we left out the sci-fi films because we’ve already covered those flops, as well as superhero movies like The Flash , which may have lost as much money as the top two films on this list combined. The 2016 remake of Ben-Hur was also left out since it was more of a historical epic than a traditional action film. Thankfully, there’s more than enough failure to go around just by focusing on the action flicks.

Budget: $65 million

Worldwide gross: $17.2 million

Estimated loss: $47.8 million

Three years after Die Hard made him into an action star, Bruce Willis co-wrote the story for Hudson Hawk  with Robert Kraft, which was rewritten by Die Hard scribe Steven E. de Souza and Daniel Waters. The results were less than enticing, and this is the biggest bomb in Willis’ long career. Willis portrays Eddie “Hudson Hawk” Hawkins, an art thief who is newly released from prison and eager to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.  Unfortunately, multiple parties soon blackmail Eddie and his partner, Tommy “Five-Tone” Messina (Danny Aiello), into pulling off a heist on behalf of Darwin (Richard E. Grant) and Minerva Mayflower (Sandra Bernhard).

The object of the heist turns out to be the components of a machine designed by Leonardo da Vinci to turn lead into gold. The good news is that Eddie and Tommy find an ally in Vatican secret agent Sister Anna Baragli (Andie MacDowell). Unfortunately, this movie was far too silly to work as an action film, and audiences stayed away in droves. This was a fiasco from the word go.

Budget: $70 million

Worldwide gross: $19.9 million

Estimated loss: $60 million

It’s easy to assume that Christian Slater and Morgan Freeman would be a pretty solid pairing for an action movie. Such was not the case with Hard Rain , a film that cast Slater as an armored car driver named Tom, who goes on the run from a group of thieves led by Jim (Freeman) during a massive rainstorm. Tom briefly offends and then befriends a local woman, Karen (Minnie Driver). But just when Jim is about to get his money, it turns out that the local sheriff, Mike Collig (Randy Quaid), will happily kill all of them and keep the money for himself.

As with a lot of movies on this list, Hard Rain had an impressive supporting cas,t including Ed Asner as Tom’s uncle, Charlie. But moviegoers just weren’t interested in this film, and it quickly sank at the box office.

Budget: $34 million to $70 million

Worldwide gross: $11.8 million

Estimated loss: $64 million

Time has not been kind to the legacy of Chill Factor , a buddy action comedy starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet Ulrich. The premise was kind of like Speed on an ice cream truck. When Dr. Richard Long (David Paymer) is murdered by a disgraced Colonel, Andrew Brynner (Peter Firth), it falls to Richard’s friend,  Tim Mason (Ulrich), to safeguard the unstable weapon that Long created. The catch is that the weapon has to be kept below 50 degrees, so Tim hijacks an ice cream truck that belongs to Arlo (Gooding).

Naturally, this initially leads to some hard feelings between Tim and Arlo as they evade the men that Brynner has sent to kill them and go on a bizarre journey to protect the weapon. It’s pretty much every action movie you’ve ever seen. Except audiences didn’t come out to see it. They didn’t even care about this movie enough to hate it.

Estimated loss: $70.1 million

Warner Bros., you’re doing it all wrong! You need to have an Ecks movie, and then a Sever movie if you expect people to care about an Ecks vs. Sever movie. The studio sort of learned from that mistake by at least having one Superman movie before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever casts Antonio Banderas as FBI Agent Jeremiah Ecks, a man who is tasked with finding renegade DIA Agent Sever (Lucy Liu) after she kidnaps Michael Gant (Aidan Drummond), the son of DIA Director Robert Gant (Gregg Henry).

Considering that the film’s title promises a battle royal between Ecks and Sever, you may be disappointed to learn that this was misleading. But you probably won’t be surprised to hear that Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever may be the worst-reviewed movie in the history of Rotten Tomatoes with a 0% score. Now that’s an accomplishment! Warner Bros. has buried this film so deeply that you may have to buy a DVD to find it.

Budget: $110 million

Worldwide gross: $72.2 million

Estimated loss: $74 million

Jackie Chan reportedly got paid $18 million to star in Around the World in 80 Days , but the results of this turkey can’t all be laid at his feet, even though he does get top billing as Passepartout. Director Frank Coraci and screenwriters David Titcher, David Benullo, and David Goldstein made significant changes to the original novel by Jules Verne — changes that turned out to be very expensive.

In this revised version of the story, Passepartout’s real name is Lau Xing, and he has a secret history and his own agenda beyond helping Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan) win the bet of a lifetime by circling the globe in 80 days. Along the way, they add Monique Laroche (Cécile de France) to their team, and they even encounter Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Prince Hapi, who briefly detains them. This film is nearly all spectacle, which would have been forgiven if it had also been a hit. Without a sizable audience, the movie had no hope of recouping its costs.

Worldwide gross: $19.7 million

Estimated loss: $68 million to $90 million

Sometimes it seems like audiences just don’t want to see Chris Hemsworth in anything that doesn’t involve him picking up a giant hammer and playing Thor. The failure of Furiosa  this summer proves that depressing theory. Director Michael Mann put Hemsworth in the lead of Blackhat as an exceptional computer hacker, Nicholas Hathaway. After a series of brazen cyberattacks on both America and China, Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) and his sister, Chen Lien (Tang Wei), convince FBI Special Agent Carol Barrett (Viola Davis) to release Hathaway from prison to aid their investigation.

As action films go, $70 million seems pretty modest compared to the budgets of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. But when the worldwide take can’t even break $20 million, then it’s an absolute disaster. There are certainly worse movies than Blackhat , but only a few that managed to lose more money.

Budget: $40 million to $75 million

Worldwide gross: $27.7 million

Estimated loss: $93 million

It was reportedly Jessica Chastain’s idea to team up with other famous actresses for a female-led spy franchise not unlike Mission: Impossible or the James Bond films. Naturally, Chastain got the leading role as CIA Agent Mason “Mace” Browne, with Penélope Cruz as DNI psychologist Graciela Rivera, Diane Kruger as BND agent Marie Schmidt, Lupita Nyong’o as ex-MI6 agent Khadijah Adiyeme, and Fan Bingbing as MSS agent Lin Mi Sheng.

In theory, audiences would cheer on these kickass ladies as they took on a crime lord, Elijah Clarke (Jason Flemyng). The MCU’s Sebastian Stan even had a key role as CIA Agent Nick Fowler. But audiences just didn’t come out to see it. This film was also hindered by the fact that Bingbing spent months under house arrest in China for tax evasion, and the producers were forced to film her role with a body double. Bingbing was eventually allowed to film her scenes separately, which allowed the special effects team to use CGI to put her back into the movie. That couldn’t have been good news for the film’s budget.

Budget: $175 millions to $225 million

Worldwide gross: $151.8 million

Estimated loss: $96 million

The real-life story of the 47 Ronin has been famous in Japan for centuries, but this 47 Ronin film is better known for being one of the biggest flops in the history of cinema. It’s not that people didn’t see 47 Ronin , it just couldn’t come close to recouping its bloated budget and it eventually lost $96 million. That’s a feat that very few films have managed to achieve.

This adaptation took a lot of liberties with the actual history, most notably by creating a half-English, half-Japanese character, Kai, just so Keanu Reeves could have the leading role. There are also splashes of fantasy, including giants and a witch named Mizuki ( Tokyo Vice ‘s Rinko Kikuchi), who helps trick Lord Naganori Asano (Min Tanaka) into dishonoring himself and committing suicide. This was done at the behest of Lord Yoshinaka Kira (Tadanobu Asano), and Lord Asano’s remaining men vow to avenge their fallen lord even though they have been branded as Ronin, or masterless samurai. 47 Ronin was recently popular on Netflix , but that’s the only resurgence that it has enjoyed.

Budget: $98 million

Worldwide gross: $18.3 million

Estimated loss: $105 million

Cutthroat Island is the film that helped bring down a studio (Carolco Pictures), and successfully scared Hollywood away from making more big-budget pirate epics until Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl came along eight years later. It’s not like Genna Davis wasn’t a worthy star. Davis was at the height of her fame when she portrayed Morgan Adams, the daughter of a famed pirate, “Black” Harry Adams (Harris Yulin), and the new captain of the Morning Star.

In part because few of the established male action stars of that era wanted second billing to Davis, Matthew Modine was cast as William Shaw, Morgan’s foil and potentially her romantic partner. They go on a quest to find her father’s treasure and prevent her rival, Dawg Brown (Frank Langella), from getting it first. Expensive reshoots and lackluster box office results killed this one. Even Davis’ career was badly damaged from her role in this bomb, but she eventually weathered that storm.

Budget: $100 million to $160 million

Worldwide gross: $61.7 million

Estimated loss: $69 million to $129 million

For a film that ranks as one of the all-time flops in any genre, The 13th Warrior hasn’t left much of an impact on pop culture. Few even remember that this movie was based on a novel by Michael Crichton, the author of Jurassic Park . Crichton himself played a role in The 13th Warrior ‘s ill-fated release when he took over as director from John McTiernan ( Die Hard ) following disastrous test screenings. The reshoots helped drive up the budget, which in turn led to the movie losing even more money once it was finally released.

Antonio Banderas stars as Ahmad ibn Fadlan, the former royal poet of the court of Baghdad, who is sent into exile. Ahmad eventually meets a tribe of Norsemen, including their leader, Buliwyf (Vladimir Kulich), who forcibly recruit Ahmad to help them face an unimaginable enemy. The Norsemen were given a prophecy that their quest would only succeed if they took a 13th warrior with them who was not of their tribe. But even Ahmad’s presence may do little to help as their enemy cuts them down one by one.

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Kelsey Asbille as Monica Long, Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton, and Luke Grimes as Kacey Dutton in Yellowstone Emerson Miller / Paramount Network

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The Pogues are back for Outer Banks season 4. Upon its release in 2020, Outer Banks became a breakout hit and one of the most popular TV shows on Netflix. In the Outer Banks of North Carolina, several friends known as the Pogues set out to find the valuable treasure on an iconic ship.

The Pogues have hunted for gold for the past three seasons while avoiding every sinister obstacle thrown in their path. Season 4, coming later this year, will be no different, as the Pogues have their sights set on another treasure. Here is everything you need to know about Outer Banks season 4. Is there a release date for Outer Banks season 4? https://www.instagram.com/p/CtwpF1mIPTF/?img_index=1

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The Best Movies to Stream This Fall—On Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, and Beyond

The cinematic equivalent of a warm cup of tea.

We’re all familiar with the standard aesthetics of fall: amber-hued leaves, pumpkins, school bells, scarves, more pumpkins. But I’d argue that fall is really more of a feeling —something you recognize deep within your bones. Especially when it comes to the best fall movies you tend to want to rewatch every year, sometimes it’s hard to describe just what makes them feel so much like autumn.

The Best Fall Movies on Max

Best fall movies on peacock, the best fall movies on apple tv+, the best fall movies on netflix, the best fall movies on disney+, the best fall movies on hulu, the best fall movies on prime video, the best fall movies on paramount+, the best fall movies on fubo, best fall movies on tubi.

For example, why is Gilmore Girls , a show that takes place in every season (and not just in the revival, which was literally broken out by season), so heavily associated specifically with fall ? It just feels like it, that’s why. According to my Spotify landing page today, fall is “Taylor Swift” season. The music streaming service doesn’t elaborate any further, but it doesn’t have to—we’re all nodding along as we fire up “Folklore” for the umpteenth time.

If fall is a feeling, then the following movies have it in spades—some more explicitly than others. Ahead, discover 70 of the best fall movies—from Netflix, Hulu, Max, Prime Video, and beyond.

Silver Linings Playbook (2013)

If you’re looking for a fall atmosphere in your movie pick, this flick starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper is excellent for a cozy night in. Its autumnal Philadelphia setting and football-centric plot capture the best things about the season. The slow-burning romance between Lawrence and Cooper also resembles the gradual and delicate transition of fall, making it a perfect watch for those crisp autumn evenings.

Available on: Max

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Can you really make a list of fall-centric films without including the award-winning movie that launched Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s careers? Set in the golden-hued, academic-focused world of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and featuring Robin Williams as a compassionate therapist, the movie is perfect for a bit of catharsis on your couch.

Available on : Max

Late Autumn (1960)

If you’ve been searching for a sign to finally watch Japanese film director Yasujiro Ozu’s mid-century masterpiece about family love (and gentle matchmaking), consider it found.

The Fall Guy (2024)

The Fall Guy provides hefty comedic relief in a season that’s sometimes filled with melancholy and nostalgic TV shows, movies, and books. Plus, who doesn’t love Ryan Gosling? Think: a summer blockbuster—just cozier.

Available on: Peacock

Any and All Harry Potter Movies (2001–2011)

The pumpkin count is off the charts in this widely-known epic about a boy wizard. Literally every installment (bar from the final film, which takes place closer to winter) kicks off at the start of fall, where the back-to-school rush looks different but feels just as comforting.

Available on : Peacock

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

A key part of my personality is that I was a Jennifer’s Body fan before it became a cult classic . Diablo Cody’s bold follow-up to Juno may not have been what was marketed, but Karyn Kusama’s hyper-stylized world, the cutting teen girl commentary, and Cody’s unique witticisms have endured long past this bummer of an AV Club review .

The Village (2004)

While I’m not the biggest fan of thrillers, I have seen plenty enough to know their appeal during fall—and the setting of this movie screams autumnal aesthetic. In this film, an Amish-style community doesn’t dare enter the woods beyond their borders, but when one of the young villagers becomes ill, the boy who loves her takes the ultimate risk to seek medicine outside of the town.

Available on: Apple TV+

It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966)

Pumpkins, The Peanuts, and a whole lot of Snoopy love, this movie is always on my watchlist when fall rolls around. Whether you’re a lover of Halloween or simply satisfied with fall on its own, this is the ultimate classic for all your seasonal needs.

Any and All Twilight  Films (2008–2012)

Though the millennials were coming of age when Stephenie Meyer released her saga about a glittering vampire man-boy who insists on repeating senior year forever, it’s Generation Z who has picked up the mantel of keeping the glorious weirdness of Twilight alive and relevant. See: Olivia Rodrigo’s purse , this Twitter account , and the rise of the Twilightcore aesthetic. 

Available on : Apple TV+

The Half of It (2020)

Netflix’s teen comedy take on Cyrano de Bergerac may not get as much fanfare as the To All the Boys trilogy, but the queer coming-of-age story is just as worthy of your weekend afternoon.

Available on : Netflix

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

I know this list has its fair share of coming-of-age dramedies, but I promise this well-written, beautifully acted installment into the genre does it better than most.

Available on: Netflix

Matilda (1996)

The perfect amount of magic to kickstart fall, Matilda is a classic that never gets old. While I do enjoy the new musical rendition, there’s something about this cast that’s simply nostalgic.

tick, tick… BOOM (2021)

Technically, this is a musical. If that’s not your vibe, keep scrolling, but just know you’ll be missing out on both a heartbreaking and entertaining story. Based on a true story of the creator of the musical Rent Andrew Garfield stars as Jonathan Larson in this moving musical drama directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. (C’mon, where are my theatre people at?)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Feeling nostalgic for your high school days? This movie breaks the norms of high school when a group of polar opposite students finds themselves together during a Saturday in detention.

La La Land (2016)

I can’t explain exactly how this movie screams fall, but every time I watch it I feel cozy and very aligned with the season. Whether or not you agree with the ending (sigh), it’s an upbeat film that a crowd can enjoy.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Honestly, the entirety of Tim Burton’s filmography feels appropriate to watch in the fall. But  Edward Scissorhands , with its fairytale feel and gothic influences, just may be the director’s most touching story.

Available on : Disney+

Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

A cozy, quintessential sleepover movie of my tweens, this buoyant indie comedy about a British teenager who loves her highly traditional Indian parents—but also David Beckham—remains just as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. (Its writer and director, Gurinder Chadha, is a woman of color.)

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

This movie is perfect for girls night with some fall-themed snacks and maybe even a bubbly cocktail. I’ve never turned down a chance at watching this classic, and maybe even shedding a tear or two.

Available On: Disney+

Coco (2017)

Truly a top-tier Pixar creation, Coco has helped me, an adult woman in her 30s, handle the idea of death. But beyond its poignant storytelling and absolute banger of a lullaby in “Remember Me,” the movie’s visual template of glittering marigolds is animated autumnal charm in its purest form.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

For many, the first whiff of pumpkin spice is just an excuse to fire up the timeless tale of the Sanderson sisters. The nostalgia is so strong that a sequel was released 29 years after the original.

Remember the Titans (2000)

In what’s probably apparent at this point, there aren’t a lot of football movies on this list. (My apologies to the Rudy stans.) But even I can’t resist the sports-fueled melodrama and groovy 70s soundtrack of Remember the Titans .  

Halloweentown (1998)

All of these Disney movies are making me seriously miss my Halloween as a kid. Inviting over your friends from class, sitting with popcorn and M&M’ candies, and carving pumpkins. What gets better than that? The only thing missing is a classic like Halloweentown.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Just in time for the 30th anniversary announcement, make sure to add this movie to your watchlist this fall (and every fall for that matter). You might even catch in in theaters near you September through October!

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

If you loved the first movie, recounting the villain origin story of one of the most hated (and misunderstood) Disney villains, you’ll love the sequel.

The Princess Diaries (2001)

I think a small part of me will always long to be royalty after watching The Princess Diaries for the first time. While it’s not explicitly stated to take place during the fall, I think the schoolgirl-turned-princess ambiance makes it a cozy, feel-good favorite.

Available on: Disney+

Immaculate (2024)

Leaning more into the Halloween-esque aspect of Fall, Immaculate, starring Euphoria, and Anyone But You star Sydney Sweeney, tells the tale of a young nun who joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. The element of dark mystery starts to unravel when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, despite her vow of chastity, leading to disturbing and supernatural events.

Available On: Hulu

Little Women (2019)

When the weather starts to cool down, Little Women is one of the first films I turn to when I’m craving cozy. With a warm color palette and a focus on family, the film’s focus embodies the true nature of fall. At the same time, its depiction of New England’s stunning fall scenery is the ideal scene of the season.

Available on: Hulu

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

If you, too, are still feeling the aftereffects of regencycore à la Bridgerton , Pride and Prejudice will make you long for love in the era of royals. Apologies to all the lovers of the classic, the Keira Knightley version always does it for me.

Available on : Hulu (Premium Subscription)

Hereditary (2018)

Ari Aster’s Hereditary haunts long after the closing credits. Not just for the horror, but for the portrait of grief and what it can do to a family. Plus, the Toni Collette “I am your mother” speech will forever live on .

Ghostbusters : Afterlife (2021)

Many of the best fall movies are set around Halloween, but there’s nothing like the vibes of a Ghostbusters film. This rendition of the classic follows a single mom and her two kids who discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Given the internet ubiquity of quotes and gifs mined from this movie, it’s hard to believe the modern classic premiered in 2006. For even more mind-bending realizations, observe this photo of a 39-year-old Anne Hathaway looking remarkably like the 23-year-old Andy Sachs at New York Fashion Week in 2022.

The Devil Wears Prada is an early-aughts time capsule for hustle culture and the girl boss era, but it’s also a movie about coats. Lots and lots of great fall coats that are as timeless as Meryl Streep’s cerulean speech.

Available on : Hulu

Challengers (2024)

Challengers  makes this year’s fall movie cut not only because it was one of this year’s top movies but also because its plot contains an intriguing young adult drama and love-triangle relationship dynamics that explore athletes and their intimate relationship with their sport. This is one of those films that you may want to watch a couple of times to pick up on the intricacies of the story.

Available on: Prime Video

Practical Magic (1998)

Once  dubbed  “the  Thelma and Louise  of witch movies,”  Practical Magic  centers on the sisterly bond between Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. There is a romance of course, with sweeping moments and plenty of witchy magic, but it’s the chemistry between the two actresses—and the film’s endearingly chaotic plot—that has earned the movie its cult-loved status.

Available on : Prime Video

Mystic Pizza (1988)

Listen, a movie doesn’t get adapted into a stage musical with a score by Melissa Etheridge more than 20 years after its release (and more than ten years after that exact scenario happened on 30 Rock) if the romantic comedy foundation isn’t genuinely solid.   

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Nora Ephron’s classic romcom thrives on the chemistry of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, but the golden brown setting certainly doesn’t hurt. Between the leaf-strewn streets of Manhattan and Ryan’s expertly layered outerwear, you can practically feel the crisp air.

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

The moment The Cranberries’ “Dreams” kicks in and Meg Ryan begins waxing poetic about the magic of Manhattan in the fall, there’s an instant feeling of warmth. It’s hard to resist the quick-witted charm of a Norah Ephron movie, but add some smart turtlenecks, endless twinkle lights, and auburn caviar (a garnish!), and our favorite AOL-centric movie becomes simply undeniable.

Election (1999)

The high school classic about an ambitious student (Reese Witherspoon) and a well-meaning teacher (Matthew Broderick) only seems to get sharper with age. The determined Tracy Flick has  remained a relevant pop culture figure  for a reason. We give it 10 bouquets of newly sharpened pencils.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of the recent Jurassic World movies. They may not be the most realistic, but they’re entertaining and carry a modern twist on the Jurassic Park storyline.

Coraline (2009)

It wouldn’t be Halloween without watching Coraline . I find myself leaning toward it every year.

The Notebook (2004)

Get ready for all the tears with this 1940s romance drama. After Noah and Allie’s carefree summer, you’ll see how the characters change with the seasons in the most gut-wrenching romance movie.

The Age of Adaline (2015)

This strange little anomaly of a film is having a Netflix resurgence and honestly, I get it. A standout in the Blake Lively oeuvre (despite its criminally low Rotten Tomatoes score), the film takes an earnest approach to its bizarre plot (a lightening storm renders the titular Adaline 29 for eternity), offering a warm film that cares about its characters—and lets Lively be a clotheshorse for the ages. Suspend that disbelief, don’t worry too much about plot, and hunker down for some Adaline time.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

If you’re looking for a real scare, this movie series is the perfect fit for binging during the fall. We won’t judge if you close your eyes.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

An early entry into the Stephen Spielberg oeuvre is filled with all the warmth, community, and suburban charm that would go on to become hallmarks for the beloved American director.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

The film’s comfortable moodiness and plucky soundtrack buoy the plot’s sci-fi nature, making Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind feel lived-in and warm, despite its frigid New York settings.

Get Out (2017)

I truly have no idea what season Get Out is set in (although Allison Williams does wear a lot of turtlenecks and high-collared jackets), but fall feels like the right time to revisit Jordan Peele’s instant horror classic.

Harold and Maude (1971)

Though not a commercial success when it was first released, Hal Ashby’s idiosyncratic dark comedy about a death-obsessed young man and his eccentric 80-year-old girlfriend (you can see how it might have been a tough sell) went on to earn its due credit , giving more film lovers an opportunity to hear Cat Stevens’ incredible original soundtrack and witness Maude and Harold’s magnificent, 70s coats.

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Featuring not one but  two  Thanksgivings, this award-winning dramedy tells the intertwining stories of three Manhattan sisters over the course of two years. The cast is stellar, the writing is fantastic, and it’s one of the few Woody Allen movies to have a somewhat happy ending.

Knives Out (2019)

Anything that evokes an Agatha Christie novel instantly feels fall-adjacent. Plus, now is a great time to watch if you haven’t get seen Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery .

Lost in Translation  (2003)

Like most Sofia Coppola movies, Lost in Translation is a vibe more than anything else. And though there’s never a specific season mentioned in this Academy Award-winning tale about the intimacy of human connection, there is an array of enviable coats, scarves, and jackets that certainly made it feel like fall in Tokyo.

Rushmore (1998)

Set at a Houston boarding school, Wes Anderson’s coming-of-age dramedy features the director’s signature rich color palette, a bookish backdrop, and plenty of smart blazers.

The Others (2001)

This Nicole Kidman deep cut is what I like to call “spooky scary.” Alejandro Amenábar’s gothic thriller about a mother and her two children dealing with the increasingly supernatural in a post-World War II country house is wonderfully atmospheric and haunting, with a twist that—even if you know it’s coming—somehow always satisfies.

Casper (1995)

If I ever came face-to-face with a ghost, I have a weird reassurance that it would be friendly like Casper. Maybe, that’s just due to how much I loved this movie as a kid.

Love, Fall & Order (2019)

Look no further for your slightly cheesy, fall feel-good movie. An ambitious attorney travels to her home to save her dad’s fall festival on the family’s pumpkin farm, and of course, finds a little romance along the way.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Come on, is it really fall without Beetlejuice playing while you decorate for your yearly Halloween party?

Paddington 2 (2018)

Is Paddington 2 better than Citizen Cane ? The credentials may still be up for debate, but I say, emphatically, yes. Its pristine Rotten Tomatoes score is my personal excuse to watch the beloved anthropomorphic bear film anytime I want (with or without any children present), but Paddington in the fall? That’s an unbeatable pair.

Little Women (1994)

I adore the Greta Gerwig Little Women, which I would argue is the most autumnal of any Louisa May Alcott adaption. But as a woman of a certain age, the 1994 version, directed by Gillian Armstrong and starring Winona Ryder as Jo, is a pure rush of nostalgia. I want to wrap a pashmina around my shoulders just thinking about it.

The Corpse Bride (2005)

The visuals are stunning, the music is fantastic, and the plot is compelling enough to tie all those top-tier Tim Burton hallmarks together. There’s something about this movie that makes it the perfect balance of spooky and heartwarming.

Legally Blonde (2001)

With its sparkling aesthetic and bright pink ensembles, Legally Blonde might not initially register as a fall movie, but when Elle finally finds herself amid the autumn foliage at Harvard, it’s instant coziness.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Every Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of how wistful and sweet this road trip buddy comedy really is. But the emphasis remains on the comedy between Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy, whose charming dancing-while-driving-while-smoking sequence to the “Mess Around” is, as one Redditor put it , “so simple, yet so amazing.”

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The low-budget horror essentially launched the found footage genre, and though it’s often replicated, the magic and mystery of The Blair Witch Project , which existed in a time well before Reddit forums (though they would have eaten it up), will likely never be reproduced again.  

Clueless (1995)

Maybe it’s the Cher-themed Halloween costumes, or maybe the start-of-school aesthetic, but Clueless is never a bad choice for Fall movie nights.

Available on :  Paramount+

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Sometimes, a good romcom is all I need when we enter the cooler months. Not only has this movie always been one of my fall favorites (maybe it’s the early 2000’s editing style?) but the internet has blown up this film in search of Kate Hudson’s famous yellow dress.

Addams Family Values (1993)

Ah, the Addams family. If you were a fan of Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega, then it’s in your best interest to see the film where it all began. There’s nothing more Halloween than the Addams family spirit.

Love Story (1970)

Often considered one of the most romantic movies ever made, the aptly named 70s classic tells the story of an unlikely pair who meets in Cambridge, Massachusetts—practically the geographic equivalent of fall. You’ll feel all your feelings and marvel at a majestic set of brows that were truly ahead of their time.

Available on :  Fubo

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

If anyone in our nation’s history could truly personify fall, it would have to Fred Rogers, a man synonymous with a zip-up cardigan. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ’s inspired casting of America’s Dad, AKA Tom Hanks, as the beloved television host is just the cherry on top.

Pro fall movie tip: follow the film with a showing of the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor for a good cry.

Available on : Fubo

Clue (1985)

With a killer (pun intended) comedic ensemble, a gothic mansion setting, and a slew of dark secrets, the cult classic immediately draws you in. The fashion is lush, the hidden doors are plentiful, and the balance of spooky and silly is spot on. The competition isn’t exactly fierce, but  Clue  is absolutely the best movie based on a children’s board game.

Lady Bird (2017)

A coming-of-age story and a mother-daughter drama rolled into one, Lady Bird offers all the nostalgia of a great fall movie along with a story that’s just plain great.   

Pieces of April  (2003)

A Thanksgiving movie through and through, this low-budget indie has earned a cult fanbase over the years, partly perhaps due to the intimacy of the pressure cooker kitchen drama, but almost certainly because of the surprising (and iconic) bluntness of Katie Holmes’ bangs.

Available on:  Tubi

The Goonies (1985)

The first—but certainly not the last—Steven Spielberg film on this list, The Goonies is a summer blockbuster through and through, but has all the fun-house energy of an autumnal state fair.

Available on : Tubi

I love a good Stephen King novel, and I like a handful of the film adaptations that sprang from them, but It is my personal favorite. It’s satisfyingly scary, but the psychological component of the story is what keeps me coming back fall after fall. And though the action takes place almost exclusively during the summer, the moodiness of Derry, Maine feels distinctly autumnal.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Vow’ On HBO, A Docuseries About the NXIVM Organization And How It Was Revealed As A Sex Cult

Where to stream:, stream it or skip it: ‘the victims’ game’ season 2 on netflix, the return of the taiwanese mystery thriller and its asperger's syndrome protagonist , what happened in jonestown everything you need to know about hulu's 'cult massacre: one day in jonestown', stream it or skip it: 'cult massacre: one day in jonestown' on hulu, a docuseries dissecting the events of the 1978 jonestown massacre, 'dancing for the devil: the 7m tiktok cult': where are the wilking sisters now.

The Vow, a nine-part docuseries directed by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, documents the NXIVM (pronounced “Nixium”) organization, how Raniere and co-founder Nancy Salzman attracted followers with their scientific-based approach to self-help, and how Raniere and actor Allison Mack were arrested on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. 

THE VOW : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere talks about what makes people heroes to the people that worship them.

The Gist:  While Noujaim and Amer use extensive amounts of NXIVM training materials and inspirational videos to paint a picture of Raniere and Salzman, they interview a number of former members, most notably Mark Vicente, the director of the documentary  What The Bleep Do We Know? and Sarah Edmondson. Both are reached advanced levels in the organization and were close to both Raniere and Salzman. “It was never my intent to destroy the organization,” Vicente says in a self-made video he made after he left the organization. “It’s just that I saw what was going on. And what I saw fucked with my head.”

In their interviews, as well as with Vicente’s wife Bonnie Piesse, whom he met via the organization, they paint a picture of an organization that was admittedly cult-like — color-coded satin sashes denoted what “level” each person was at in the organization, and members were forced to call Salzman “Prefect” and Raniere “Vanguard”. But they also have very fond memories of their time there, which for Vicente was over 10 years. Vicente’s incentive to enter was the fact that Salzman and the organization’s wealthy benefactors, Sara and Claire Bronfman, could help him make any film he wanted.

For Edmonson and Piesse, both actors, it was the idea of “integrating” your emotions and self-doubts into self-actualization. Raniere, who went to Renssselaer Polytechnic Institute when he was 16 and is considered a genius, was offering a scientific method to this self-actualization, which inevitably leads participants to free themselves from their limiting habits, unlock potential and give them more joy in life. Salzman was the warm and charismatic face of the organization, as we see from a welcome video that looked like it was made around the time of the organization’s 1998 founding, and during sessions that she conducted with members. She had a way of opening people up like they’ve never been opened up before, getting to the heart of why they’re there seeking help.

At one point, NIXVM got so big that a number of actors got involved, including  Smallville ‘s Kristin Kreuk. Kreuk’s co-star, Allison Mack, was also in NXIVM, and was arrested in 2018 along with Raniere on sex trafficking, racketeering and other charges; she plead guilty to the racketeering charge. She’s briefly introduced in the first episode, but we’ll likely hear more about her as the series goes on.

Our Take: The first hour of  The Vow went very quickly, not just because the subject matter was so interesting, but we were wondering the whole time how accomplished and intelligent people like Vicente could get sucked in by Raniere and Salzman. But after the hour, we understood it a little more. Raniere wasn’t particularly charismatic, but he saw the world in a way that most people did not, and his theories and research intrigued people interested in scientific approaches to improving their lives. Salzman was savvy and whip-smart, but had a charm and warmth that balanced out Raniere’s more standoffish personality.

And that’s the part of  The Vow that will keep us watching. From the outside, some of the silliness of these NXIVM meetings, like the colored sashes with level stripes on them, the sideways sandwich handshake they give everyone, the extreme emotional commitment the members gave the organization and its leaders, looks like any other story of any other cult we’ve ever seen. Hell, it doesn’t veer all that far off from the depiction of the cult that Yvonne Strahovski’s character is running away from in the Australian series Stateless .

But the fact that Raniere took what could be seen as a calculated, logical, scientific approach to his program fascinates us even more. When you hear him talk, he sounds less like a motivational speaker and more like a college professor or a wonky tech CEO, explaining his theories of “integration” in the same bland way that Mark Zuckerberg talks about a new, completely invasive new feature on Facebook.

How Piesse finds out about what’s going on in the women-focused NXIVM subsidiary where Mack and Rainere were either having sex with underage women or trafficking women out for sex, and even branding them with Mack’s and Rainere’s initials, and how the FBI caught up with Mack and Rainere, will be the most fascinating parts to watch.

Sex and Skin: We haven’t gotten to the part about the organization’s sex trafficking, but we’ll get there eventually.

Parting Shot: Piesse is walking and smoking in what looks like her neighborhood after dark; we hear her phone call to Vicente, where she says, “When I look at these women, they’re all not doing well. And I think some things are going to crumble.”

Sleeper Star: Edmondson stands out because of how skeptical she was of the organization during the first days of her five-day orientation. She even made fun of Salzman’s eyebrows in the cheesily-made welcome video that NXIVM made in the late ’90s.

Most Pilot-y Line: We know this is a stylistic choice by the directors, but seeing the interviewers shoulder or other body part in the corner of the screen during their interviews takes us out of them a bit; it changes the dynamic from a person talking directly to us to a person talking to someone else. You might think that’s a little thing, but once you notice it, you can’t un-notice it.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The Vow benefits from access to people like Vicente and Edmondson, plus lots of footage from various NXIVM organizational videos, meetings, and other insightful stuff. It creates a picture of the organization that makes it more than just the “sex cult” that was in headlines about it in 2018.

Should you stream or skip the NXIVM docuseries @TheVowHBO on @HBO ? #SIOSI #TheVowHBO — Decider (@decider) August 25, 2020

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, VanityFair.com, Playboy.com, Fast Company.com, RollingStone.com, Billboard and elsewhere.

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Stream  The Vow  On HBO Now

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The Crow Review: A Boring Revenge Movie

By Jonathan Sim

Can one great scene save a bad movie? The Crow provides the answer to that question: no. This gothic superhero film is the second movie to adapt James O’Barr’s 1989 comic book series, with the first being a cult classic 1994 movie starring Brandon Lee. Lee infamously died during the production of that film, meaning that The Crow has become a monument to a man who left us too soon. Alex Proyas, the director of the ’94 film, once said , “It’s not just a movie that can be remade. It’s one man’s legacy. And it should be treated with that level of respect.”

Well, respect has gone out the window because what we have here is a frighteningly dull film that will forever live in the shadow of the original. It’s not like The Crow is known for being a successful franchise. That ’94 movie spawned three critically panned sequels, but none of those movies dared to touch the character of Eric Draven until now. Bill Skarsgård becomes the second actor to play Eric after Lee in a movie, and the results here are a bit disastrous. His performance isn’t bad, but the movie around him does a disservice to the character.

It’s clear from the start that The Crow is not trying to remake the 1994 film. Instead, this is an adaptation of the characters, and it’s incredibly different from that movie. That movie starts with our characters dead and then quickly sees Eric rise from the dead and begin to exact revenge on the people who killed him and his wife. But this movie starts very differently. We begin with a greater focus on Shelly, portrayed by FKA twigs. She has a video she’s trying to protect and gets checked into rehab, where she meets Eric.

From here, it’s easy to appreciate what this movie tries to do. While the first film only features Eric and Shelly’s relationship through flashbacks, this movie wants to delve more into how these characters meet, what draws them together, and then break our hearts once they are eventually killed. It’s a good idea on paper, but the movie executes it very poorly. It’s strange to introduce us to these characters as two junkies escaping rehab together (very easily, I might add), especially after the original movie had Eric confront a woman for being on drugs rather than taking care of her daughter.

The Crow fails partially due to the lack of chemistry between Skarsgård and twigs. Their relationship doesn’t feel deep or textured because it feels too much like a casual fling. In the original, you could tell they had been together for a long time and were engaged to be married. This movie has the murder happen mere days after they first meet. It doesn’t feel very impactful. Each of their romantic scenes feels disposable, and it gets surprisingly dull after a while. Many movies have established a powerful love connection in far fewer scenes than this film, and this movie doesn’t even do that well.

Another issue is that this movie needlessly complicates the characters. The graphic novel and the first film were straightforward; the two lead characters were killed by bad people. The graphic novel has the villains do it for fun, while the movie added a little more motivation surrounding tenant eviction. The Crow (2024) decides to have the villains hunt down Shelly because she has a video with incriminating evidence, and we have Danny Huston as Vincent Roeg, a crime lord who can whisper into people’s ears and mind control them.

The execution of this idea is mildly hilarious, but the bottom line is this movie overcomplicates the villains and what they want and spends way too much time with them, even though they’re all forgettable. It’s also not as scary because it’s horrifying to imagine that an act of senseless violence can happen to you and your lover. It’s even more disturbing that it can happen randomly with no motivation. By giving Shelly a piece of evidence she’s protecting, the movie loses that randomness factor that made the attack such a nightmare. The fact that these characters are part of this larger cover-up does not work at all.

That original movie had such a quick pace. They’re dead by the start, and Eric returns as The Crow, exacting vengeance on everyone who wronged him. This movie takes ages to get to where we started in that first film. It would be a different story if the first hour and fifteen minutes were enjoyable, but they aren’t. You may roll your eyes at some dialogue, and you spend way too much time on good guys and bad guys you’re not invested in. We have clichéd scenes of post-mortem Shelly underwater with Eric trying to swim to her, and Eric meets someone in the afterlife that solely serves as an exposition machine. Eric goes back to talk to Mr. Exposition so many times that it’s hilarious.

Once Eric finally becomes the titular character of The Crow, gaining his superpowered abilities, it still does not feel like he is the character. The fun of the character is that he’s an unbeatable, unstoppable force that can kill anyone who did him wrong. But the film spends a lot of time with him figuring out his powers and he feels very vulnerable, despite being a character where the joy comes from watching how powerful he is.

The Crow limps its way toward its final act, and this is where everything changes. Much like the titular character, this dead-on-arrival movie comes roaring back to life with its final action set piece. We have a large-scale action sequence that takes place at an opera. This sequence is beyond incredible. It features astonishing gore and creative kills and effectively uses The Crow’s power to the best of its ability. The fight choreography is splendid, and watching this absolute slaughterhouse is a feast for the eyes.

The opera sequence in The Crow is almost worth the price of a ticket alone. It’s so spectacular that I would search for it to rewatch it in a few months. That’s how splendid this movie suddenly becomes. You’re left to wonder where this movie was hiding the whole time. If director Rupert Sanders had this in him, why didn’t we see this earlier? Where has this guy been all our lives? I kid you not; if the entire movie had been close to as fantastic as this opera sequence, I might have even liked it more than the 1994 movie. This is the only great scene in the film, and it’s so much better than everything else that it sticks out like a sore thumb.

As much as I loved this scene, The Crow takes too long to get there. By this point, it’s too little, too late, and the film fizzles out into its final moments, which also have a solid idea. I wish this movie were better than it is, but unfortunately, the pacing isn’t good, and a lot of it feels like a very disposable revenge movie. The atmosphere is not as potent as Proyas’s film, and all we’re left with is a cheap imitation of a classic ’90s actioner that would have been best left alone.

SCORE : 4/10

As ComingSoon’s  review policy  explains, a score of 4 equates to “Poor.” The negatives outweigh the positive aspects making it a struggle to get through.

Jonathan Sim is a film critic and filmmaker born and raised in New York City. He has met/interviewed some of the leading figures in Hollywood, including Christopher Nolan, Zendaya, Liam Neeson, and Denis Villeneueve. He also works as a screenwriter, director, and producer on independent short films.

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Horror fans are ‘chilled to the core’ by terrifying film so creepy they’ve vowed to never watch it again

The film is a terrifying watch, but not for the reasons you might think.

Michael Slavin

One of my favourite questions to ask film fans is never ‘what’s your favourite movie?'.

With that you get boring uhming and aahing and, in my opinion, the far more interesting question is 'which film will you never watch again?'.

Whether it be that it was so terrible, so offensive, so emotional, or so scary, you’ll always get a more interesting answer in my opinion.

In the case of one particular horror film however, even the most hardcore of fans have sworn it off, vowing to never watch it again.

It's so creepy that one fan went as far as to say they were ‘chilled to the core’ by it.

We are not ones to ever shy away from a creepy horror, but can confirm - this is one that will stay with you.

Here’s the trailer, and make sure to have a couch to hide behind before you stick it on:

The film is Eden Lake , a 2008 British horror film starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, and even Jack O’Connell.

It follows a couple on a remote romantic getaway. That’s never gone wrong before!

Shockingly, it does.

Their getaway is crashed by bashful teens, who proceed to terrorise them, before the weekend turns into a far more dangerous and deadly affair.

With a rating of 6.7 on IMDb and 81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer, it is fairly well reviewed as far as horrors go, with Empire calling it one of the ‘most shocking and provocative’ thrillers of the year.

We should warn anyone who goes to watch this however, we are not exaggerating, and it is indeed an absolutely harrowing watch, and far more of a horror than a thriller (this is coming from someone who watched it from between their fingers).

The film returned to the minds of horror fans due to a recent post in the subreddit r/horror, where someone asked about which films had left people ‘disturbed’ and with ‘a bad feeling, like it was more than just a movie’.

The top comment on the thread read: “ Eden Lake . At the time I watched it, I was living in a really rough area in the North of England (literally the basis of Shameless ).

“Teen violence was commonplace and the retaliations were often as bad. (For example: A guy in my neighbourhood was jumped by a group and went after them with a hatchet).

“I watched that movie and at every step I could picture any one of the local kids doing what these kids were doing, and it absolutely chilled me to my core.

“I've long since moved away but I have never, ever rewatched that movie.”

Another Reddit thread discussing the film said: “I just watched Eden Lake and had to break it off before bed and finish watching in the morning because it was intense and making me so anxious.

" I think it was well done overall and there's some layers to the movie I didn't expect from it”.

Watch it if you dare, but from all accounts, don’t expect to want to rewatch it once a year.

Eden Lake is available to stream on Prime Video.

Topics:  Horror , Film and TV

Michael Slavin is a Film and TV writer for UNILAD and LADbible. After completing an English Literature with Creative Writing degree at Surrey University, followed by a Masters in International Journalism at Salford University, he began working for the Warrington Guardian as a reporter. Throughout this though, he did freelance work about Film and TV for publications such as DiscussingFilm, looking for any excuse to get to rant about films. He has now finally got that wish.

@ MichaelSlavin98

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Entertainment

Review: these releases spotlight innovation and overcoming adversity.

These releases include the latest in ghost busting; an action movie with potential; a love letter to cinema & more.

These releases include the latest chapter in ghost busting; an action movie with potential; a love letter to classic cinema; a couple of old school Michelle Yeoh pictures; and old and new South Park stories.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Blu-ray & DVD) The Spengler family (and Gary) ( Carrie Coon , Finn Wolfhard , Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd ) returns to where it all started — the iconic New York City firehouse — to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

There’s a lot going on in this movie, yet it still manages to feel like it’s missing something. From the family perspective, Gary is trying to figure out his role as stepdad, Trevor is navigating the new responsibilities of adulthood and Phoebe struggles with the constraints of being a teen. Spectrally, there’s a Casper-like friendly ghost, the return of the adorably suicidal mini Stay Puft marshmallows, and the big, powerful baddie that inspires fear in other spirits. Meanwhile, the original ghost busting team prove they never really left (for better or worse), and a random guy inherits fire magic and a fancy metal costume. These are a lot of great ideas, but there’s a total lack of cohesion between them. To make matters worse, there’s also a number of poor choices that make the critical error of portraying the characters as fools. This is an unfortunate turn of events since their first outing showed such promise.

Special features include: commentary with director and co-writer Gil Kenan; deleted and extended scenes; “Return to the Firehouse: Making Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ”; “Busted: Capturing the Ghosts of Frozen Empire”; “Manifesting Garraka”; “New York, New Gear”; “Welcome to the Paranormal Discovery Center”; “Knowing the Score”; and “Easter Eggs Unleashed.” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Matinee [Collector’s Edition] (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray) It’s 1962, and fifteen-year-old fan Gene Loomis (Simon Fenton) can’t wait for the arrival of Woolsey ( John Goodman ), who is in town to promote his latest offering of atomic power gone berserk, Mant ! But the absurd vision of Woolsey’s tale takes on a sudden urgency as the Cuban Missile Crisis places the real threat of atomic horror just 90 miles off the coast. With the help of Woolsey’s leading lady, Ruth (Cathy Moriarty), the master showman gives Key West a premiere they’ll never forget.

This is an entertaining and heartfelt throwback to an interesting era of cinema spearheaded by William Castle. He and others used a variety of gimmicks to entice people into theatres and provide them with an experience that extended beyond the big screen. Notably, their film experiments were the precursor for modern-day D-Box theatre seats. Goodman’s character is a compilation of these filmmakers, though Castle is the most prominent influence. However, director Joe Dante also aspired to capture the spirit of the 1960s, and the fear and paranoia that surrounded the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as the style of horror/sci-fi pictures of the period. There’s a lot of build-up to the Mant screening, but it doesn’t disappoint, creating a spectacle for all the senses that genre fans would have loved to enjoy.

Special features include: commentary by film critics Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe; deleted and extended scenes; behind-the-scenes footage; vintage making-of featurette; interviews with actors Kellie Martin and David Clennon; “Master of the Matinee: Interview with Director Joe Dante”; “The Leading Lady: An Interview with Actress Cathy Moriarty”; “MANTastic: The Making Of A Mant”; “Out Of The Bunker: An Interview with Actress Lisa Jakub”; “Making A Monster Theater: An Interview with Production Designer Steven Legler”; “The Monster Mix: An Interview with Editor Marshall Harvey”; “Lights! Camera! Reunion!: An Interview with Director of Photography John Hora”; “Paranoia in Ant Vision: Joe Dante Discusses The Making of the Film”; and still gallery. (Shout! Studios)

Monkey Man (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray) Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, a man with no name ( Dev Patel ), scarred by a brutal childhood ekes out a meager living in underground fighting rings. But when he finds a way to rise up and infiltrate his city’s corrupt elite, he kicks off an explosive campaign for retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him as a boy. Channeling the rage of the poor and powerless, an unexpected hero emerges.

Patel co-wrote the film, which is also his directorial debut. Regrettably, the production was plagued by a series of unfortunate events, including the pandemic. Nonetheless, the movie demonstrates a lot of potential in its storytelling as it tackles universal issues related to police and religious corruption, brutality, discrimination, and violence against women and other minorities. At its heart, Patel set out to tell an underdog story. The narrative’s villains are society’s elite, and signs of poverty and inequity are everywhere. The country’s transgender community, a.k.a. hijra , also play a prominent role in the picture. The film’s promotion advertised a high-octane action picture and while there are some very intense fight sequences, the film is the underdog’s journey to revenge and redemption. Unfortunately, even though the story is solid and universally accessible, the action scenes suffer from frenetic camera movements and frenzied editing that detracts from the unquestionable effort that went into choreographing the otherwise impressive skirmishes.

Special features include: commentary; deleted scenes; and alternate opening and ending. (Universal Picture Home Entertainment)

Royal Warriors (Blu-ray) When CID officer Yip ( Michelle Yeoh ), a Japanese Interpol agent (Hiroyuki Sanada) and a security guard (Michael Wong) foil an airplane hijacking attempt by a militia fanatic, his veteran friends vow revenge. To stop the terrorist attacks and also to save their own lives, the three heroes must team up once again to fight their gun-toting adversaries.

The movie begins with the near-fatal flight in which all those named above are able to demonstrate their fight skills in a rather confined space. Yip is lauded a hero and eventually accepts the romantic advances of one of the men, though their compatibility is questionable even if his devotion is not. Meanwhile, the terrorist’s friends go to great lengths for their revenge and may even succeed thanks to the blundering of one of the heroes. The action scenes are typical of martial arts movies, in which hand-to-hand combat outweighs the use of firearms. Of course, Yeoh is expectedly explosive, making it still difficult to believe she never received formal fight training.

Special features include: commentary by Frank Djeng; missing aeroplane inserts; and trailers. (88 Films)

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray) Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman sneak into an R-rated movie and it warps their fragile little minds. Soon their indignant parents declare war on Canada and our young heroes are America’s last hope to stop Armageddon.

The South Park movie was a major theatrical event, taking the cursing youngsters from the small screen to the big screen and opting for the unexpected by making it a musical. This release even has a sing-along track so you can lend your voice to “What would Brian Boitano do?” or “Blame Canada!” Making enemies of the U.S.A.’s neighbours to the north was an amusing choice since they’re relationship is generally so banal. It also gave a larger stage to Terrance and Phillip, who teach the kids all kinds of new swears to instigate the war. The dysfunctional relationship between the Devil and Saddam Hussein is also fully explored, allowing Satan to show his more sensitive side. With so much going on, it feels like more than an extended episode, while remaining an extension of the show.

Special features include: commentary by Matt Stone and Trey Parker; sing-a-long version of the film; “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” music video; and theatrical trailers. (Paramount Home Entertainment)

South Park: Joining the Panderverse (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray) Cartman’s deeply disturbing dreams portend the end of the life he knows and loves. The adults in South Park are also wrestling with their own life decisions as the advent of AI is turning their world upside down.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone have never shied away from taboo topics or controversial subjects, using the series to voice their opinions and/or spotlight hypocrisy. This short film seems like a personal pet peeve as they specifically target Disney producer Kathleen Kennedy and the studio’s scourge of remakes that reimagines classics with a more diverse cast. They’re quick to point out that most of these movies flopped at the box office, yet the studio was not discouraged. It’s actually pretty amusing to see the boys replaced by women of colour who still act the same and have interchangeable dialogue. But Randy’s crusade about college educations and technological advances depriving middle-class professionals of the ability to perform handy work themselves is by far the funnier narrative.

There are no special features. (Paramount Home Entertainment)

Yes, Madam! (Blu-ray) Senior Police Inspector Ng ( Michelle Yeoh ) is assigned to work with Inspector Carrie Morris (Cynthia Rothrock) from Scotland Yard to investigate the murder of an agent from the Commercial Crime Bureau of London, who was killed because of the evidence he has collected against a crime syndicate in Hong Kong.

This is an interesting buddy-cop team-up, particularly for the time, since it features two women. The bonus feature interview with Rothrock reveals that the director was impressed by her martial arts skills and decided to change the gender of the international inspector so she could play the role. Thus, it still plays like a typical good-cop-bad-cop, fish-out-of-water narrative with Morris bringing her own brand of hard-hitting justice to Hong Kong. Nonetheless, she and Ng work well together, even kicking criminal butt in modest skirts. And as dedicated inspectors, they’re willing to do whatever it takes to solve their case, taking on rogue roles not usually seen in women in ‘80s action pictures.

Special features include: commentary by Frank Djeng; select scene commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng; interviews with Cynthia Rothrock, Mang Hoi and Michelle Yeoh; archive “Battling Babes” featurette; and trailer. (88 Films)

Sarah Gopaul is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for film news, a member of the Online Film Critics Society and a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved critic.

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The Vow Review

By Rich Cline

Facts and Figures

Year : 2012

Run time : 104 mins

In Theaters : Friday 10th February 2012

Box Office USA : $125.0M

Box Office Worldwide : 124

Budget : $30M

Distributed by : Sony Pictures

Production compaines : Spyglass Entertainment, Screen Gems

Contactmusic.com : 2.5 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes : 29% Fresh: 37 Rotten: 89

IMDB : 6.8 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director : Michael Sucsy

Producer : Gary Barber , Roger Birnbaum , Jonathan Glickman , Paul Taublieb

Screenwriter : Jason Katims , Abby Kohn , Marc Silverstein

Starring : Rachel McAdams as Paige, Channing Tatum as Leo, Sam Neill as Bill Thornton, Scott Speedman as Jeremy, Jessica Lange as Rita Thornton, Lucas Bryant as Kyle, Kristina Pesic as Lizbet, Jessica McNamee as Gwen, Dillon Casey as Ryan, Tatiana Maslany as Lily

Also starring : Wendy Crewson , Gary Barber , Roger Birnbaum , Jonathan Glickman , Jason Katims , Abby Kohn , Marc Silverstein

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The Vow – Season 1, Episode 2

Where to watch, the vow — season 1, episode 2.

Watch The Vow — Season 1, Episode 2 with a subscription on Max, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Cast & crew.

Jehane Noujaim

Executive Producer

Geralyn White Dreyfous

Mike Lerner

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The Vow: Part II Reviews

Noujaim doesn’t demand accountability from her subjects, at least on camera... This attitude is well-intended reasoning. It’s also strikingly naive, because it assumes that everybody is speaking honestly all the time.

Full Review | Nov 23, 2022

The second season doesn’t have the revelations of the first but sifting through the rubble as court cases unfold still offers insight into the psychological tactics and self-sustaining delusion.

Full Review | Nov 17, 2022

The Vow Part II remains engaging, excellent true crime that tells its story well and delves into its personality and nuance with at least a veneer of care and responsibility.

Full Review | Nov 1, 2022

The Vow was one of the most jaw-dropping true crime docuseries we’d had in years.

Full Review | Oct 31, 2022

...redundant and often exploitative, but one section stands out...

Full Review | Oct 21, 2022

The Vow Part II moves quickly, even as it dives deeper into the people who were and still are loyal to Keith Reinere, finding out their reasoning, motivation and rationalizations.

Full Review | Oct 18, 2022

While the first season is necessary viewing to really understand the second, the second feels like the more vital piece of the story — less salacious, more balanced, but still sad and horrifying all the same.

While The Vow Part Two gives viewers a front-row seat of the federal trial against founder Keith Raniere, it’s a more fragmented exercise that feels unduly stretched over six parts.

Full Review | Oct 17, 2022

Part Two represents an impressive evolution on the original season, pushing further into the most uncomfortable aspects of NXIVM and delivering some cathartic moments of justice for those whose lives were torn apart by Raniere and his lieutenants.

Full Review | Oct 14, 2022

As storytelling, this is crisper and cleaner than The Vow’s first iteration; as psychological portrait, little in the nonfiction space of late matches its acuity.

Full Review | Oct 13, 2022

The only good thing that can be said of The Vow, Part Two is that it is a perfect demonstration of how precisely not to cover an important story like this.

Full Review | Original Score: D+ | Oct 12, 2022